Author Topic: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details  (Read 340979 times)

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Offline GeoffreyF

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #100 on: November 06, 2018, 07:38:53 pm »
Every decent multimeter has the beep in diode mode ... and is fast , feature or not  :D
If you really work with the multimeter repairing something you will know why .

I have repaired a lot of things. I have repaired many things for many  weekly pay checks. I like numbers a lot.  I like to see that the device has the numbers it should. A beep is simply low resistance.  Do you get a reassuring "unbeep" when you measure in the opposite polarity? 

If it doesn't say it on the tin (and it doesn't in this case) then you have no right to expect it.    What I have learned is to read the manual before I make a purchase.   If it says "it beeps for diodes" on some other device, I would want to know EXACTLY what constitutes "beep worthy".   What would a diode beep mean to me diagnostically? 

Can you offer a link to a multi-meter online manual (or spec) that satisfies your diode beeping needs?  I'd be interested to see how it is specified.
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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #101 on: November 06, 2018, 07:49:41 pm »
Every decent multimeter has the beep in diode mode ... and is fast , feature or not  :D
If you really work with the multimeter repairing something you will know why .

I have repaired a lot of things. I have repaired many things for many  weekly pay checks. I like numbers a lot.  I like to see that the device has the numbers it should. A beep is simply low resistance.  Do you get a reassuring "unbeep" when you measure in the opposite polarity? 

If it doesn't say it on the tin (and it doesn't in this case) then you have no right to expect it.    What I have learned is to read the manual before I make a purchase.   If it says "it beeps for diodes" on some other device, I would want to know EXACTLY what constitutes "beep worthy".   What would a diode beep mean to me diagnostically? 

Can you offer a link to a multi-meter online manual (or spec) that satisfies your diode beeping needs?  I'd be interested to see how it is specified.
I agree.
Diode beep is BS  :bullshit: , it's more likely the beep is issued when a stable measurement is seen/known.
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Offline CDaniel

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #102 on: November 07, 2018, 06:24:58 am »
A delayed beep is annoying , or is fast or not at all ... Fluke behavior is what should be expected from a decent multimeter .
When you work on a board you want to find fast the shorted semiconductors , you don't have time dicking around waiting for the meter ... and you don't want to switch all the time to continuity mode and back because is faster or has the beep  :-\.
For those who don't like the beep should be very easy to add a way to disable/enable it .
« Last Edit: November 07, 2018, 08:39:53 am by CDaniel »
 

Offline GeoffreyF

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #103 on: November 07, 2018, 01:08:42 pm »
A delayed beep is annoying , or is fast or not at all ... Fluke behavior is what should be expected from a decent multimeter .
When you work on a board you want to find fast the shorted semiconductors , you don't have time dicking around waiting for the meter ... and you don't want to switch all the time to continuity mode and back because is faster or has the beep  :-\.
For those who don't like the beep should be very easy to add a way to disable/enable it .

You are repeating yourself.  Go buy the Fluke.
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Offline CDaniel

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #104 on: November 08, 2018, 10:08:50 am »
Maybe I wasn't clear enough for you , a laggy beep ( 0,5sec or more ) is not something good or normal . If a meter has the beep it should be as fast as possible so you can't feel a big lag , or you think otherwise or don't care ?  Thats the issue with 121GW , I want the beep response in diode mode to be faster , not lightning fast but decent enough . The discusion about other meters , who has the beep and how is implemented is useless at this point . You can complain about that if you want something different .

And for sure this can be corrected in firmware with a little effort ... just one more small issue on the list
« Last Edit: November 08, 2018, 10:28:09 am by CDaniel »
 

Offline PeterL

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #105 on: November 08, 2018, 11:22:47 am »

No beep above 0.85 ish volts
Short beep from 0.84 to 0.10 ish volts
Below 0.1 volts, a continuous beep. 


I have a agilent u1252b which does this as well. I don't have it at hand atm so I can't check how fast it is or at which voltages. But I like this option a lot, it let's you easily spot diode's while probing around.

As for the speed I agree the 121GW(v1.51)  feels very slow. I measured it, and came to 0.5 +/- 0.1 second, where in resistive mode it's more like 30msec. Also the bar graph is very fast in diode mode, so I'd say it should not be difficult to make it beep much faster.
 

Offline GeoffreyF

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #106 on: November 08, 2018, 01:15:22 pm »
Maybe I wasn't clear enough for you , a laggy beep ( 0,5sec or more ) is not something good or normal .  ...

And for sure this can be corrected in firmware with a little effort ... just one more small issue on the list

You have been perfectly clear - redundantly clear, repetitively and tediously clear.   It's not an issue because the 121GW is not specified to do what you want and never was. The unnamed models you like were probably specified to do it. They also probably have a higher price point,and generally a different feature set than this one. In future purchase decisions, read the specs compare the feature sets and price before making your purchase. (Is that clear?) I also expect that it cannot be corrected with firmware that this has something to do with the settling time for the A-D.  Why do you need to be clear? None of us work for EEVBlog or write firmware for the product and are in no position to do what you endlessly ask. Still you go on and on.  Speculating about others repair styles etc.   So please stop.   
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Offline CDaniel

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #107 on: November 08, 2018, 01:26:21 pm »
Your comments are not helpfull , if you don't care about an issue don't imply it's not a feature ...
This is a firmware bug like many others , this has nothing to do with price , brand ( Fluke ) or anything else .

It is laughable that you imply that someone should buy a very expensive meter just to have fast responding beep in diode mode  |O . Then how is possible to be fast in continuity mode  ? It's the same ADC . Please stop the nonsense and watch your own business .
« Last Edit: November 08, 2018, 01:39:04 pm by CDaniel »
 

Offline GeoffreyF

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #108 on: November 08, 2018, 03:48:09 pm »
Then how is possible to be fast in continuity mode  ? It's the same ADC . Please stop the nonsense and watch your own business .

How is continuity, passive device and active device measurement different?  Checking a diode or junction is different from checking a passive resistor has been explained and actually you should have known it given any of your claimed expertise.  You didn't read what was written to you god knows how many redundant posts back.  As for nonsense: Nobody you are arguing with can change the firmware for you.  You missed that point completely.  You insist that this is an "Issue" not an add on to what was specified.  I don't think you really have thought much about any of the responses you got.  Other than insults, none of your posts have either responded to others or introduced a new point to what you repeat.  There is no purpose to your continuing with this.
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Offline Sharp

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #109 on: November 08, 2018, 08:44:14 pm »
Just received my 121GW it has v1.54 FW -  just for info - I have no idea what have been changed in the FW 
« Last Edit: November 08, 2018, 08:45:46 pm by Sharp »
 

Offline 1anX

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #110 on: November 08, 2018, 09:33:14 pm »
A delayed beep is annoying , or is fast or not at all ... Fluke behavior is what should be expected from a decent multimeter .
When you work on a board you want to find fast the shorted semiconductors , you don't have time dicking around waiting for the meter ... and you don't want to switch all the time to continuity mode and back because is faster or has the beep  :-\.
For those who don't like the beep should be very easy to add a way to disable/enable it .

Hi CDaniel, can I suggest that you move your comments and feedback to the "121GW Issues" thread. That thread is for reporting issues that you would like to see addressed.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/eevblog-121gw-multimeter-issues/

This thread is for "Firmware Details" and would be the right thread if you were to offer up the firmware code for the meter operation you describe. Try the Issues thread and you may get your issue with the meter considered!
 
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Offline lowimpedance

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #111 on: November 08, 2018, 10:41:51 pm »
Just received my 121GW it has v1.54 FW -  just for info - I have no idea what have been changed in the FW
Or perhaps you have 1.53 going by the recent 1.52 release reporting as 1.53  :D :P.
Seriously though if true that's a short life for 1.52 1.53. Some release notes may be handy here.
The odd multimeter or 2 or 3 or 4...or........can't remember !.
 

Offline gdewitte

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #112 on: November 09, 2018, 03:00:06 am »
Second the call for release notes. Could someone please tell us what the hell is going on?
 

Offline exe

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #113 on: November 09, 2018, 09:40:35 am »
BTW, I wonder if someone wants to actually write some firmware for it.

I recently tried ChibiOS and made a very trivial hello-world interface using threads+queues. So far I like it much more than CubeMX. I may want to try to write firmware using it, threads and C++. If someone wants to join let me know.
 

Offline PeterL

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #114 on: November 10, 2018, 05:05:54 pm »
BTW, I wonder if someone wants to actually write some firmware for it.

I recently tried ChibiOS and made a very trivial hello-world interface using threads+queues. So far I like it much more than CubeMX. I may want to try to write firmware using it, threads and C++. If someone wants to join let me know.
Did you actually run your own code on the 121GW? And if so can you revert back to stock firmware afterwards?

If that's possible, and you could provide some instructions to do so, I'll bet it would just be a matter of time before others hop on.
 

Offline exe

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #115 on: November 10, 2018, 05:34:16 pm »
Did you actually run your own code on the 121GW? And if so can you revert back to stock firmware afterwards?

If that's possible, and you could provide some instructions to do so, I'll bet it would just be a matter of time before others hop on.

Well, actually, this thread used to be about development :). Just read a few pages back, Mr. @tpw_rules did a great job at reverse engineering firmware, dumping calibration data, and even prepared a demo firmware with an lcd driver using cubemx. I tried to continue development, but cubemx and C is just not my thing.
 

Offline PeterL

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #116 on: November 10, 2018, 07:31:38 pm »

Well, actually, this thread used to be about development :). Just read a few pages back, Mr. @tpw_rules did a great job at reverse engineering firmware, dumping calibration data, and even prepared a demo firmware with an lcd driver using cubemx. I tried to continue development, but cubemx and C is just not my thing.
Oh great! I totally missed that one (here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/eevblog-121gw-multimeter-firmware-details/msg1418335/#msg1418335)
I don't have a lot of time for doing serious things for this, but I will have a look at it.

I have never used cubemx, but I have done stm32 C development with atollic.

And I hadn't even heard of ChibiOS. Can you share what you have so far?
 

Offline hammy

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #117 on: November 13, 2018, 12:12:18 pm »
Third call for release notes and clarification about the version number.  ???

Some DMM are already shipped with firmware version 1.54? Is this confirmed?  :-//
 

Offline Terry01

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #118 on: November 20, 2018, 05:59:44 pm »
I received mine today with 1.54 on it. Bought new from Welectron on the 15th. So.… confirmed  :-+
Sparks and Smoke means i'm nearly there!
 
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Offline gdewitte

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #119 on: November 20, 2018, 06:04:34 pm »
And, again, could someone please enlighten us regarding firmware versions? What's going on?  |O
 

Offline gdewitte

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #120 on: November 21, 2018, 03:17:52 am »
Seriously folks: Is someone going to address this or are we to just sit in the dark and act like mushrooms?  :-//
 

Offline gnifTopic starter

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #121 on: November 21, 2018, 03:35:01 am »
This thread isn't supposed to be about the changes in the official firmware, it's about the firmware format and reverse engineering efforts.

If you want a change log, please start a thread asking for it, it's entirely up to Dave if he wishes to provide one, but to be completely honest he has zero obligation to state what the differences are between versions.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2018, 03:37:44 am by gnif »
 

Offline ggchab

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #122 on: November 21, 2018, 07:14:03 am »
This is a somewhat surprising answer. We trusted Dave when we bought this multimeter and today, we might think he lost interest in the instrument :( although we understand that he is very busy right now.
There may be no obligation but there should be some enthusiasm to communicate improvements.
I hope enthusiasm is still there :)
 
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Offline 1anX

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #123 on: November 21, 2018, 07:58:38 am »
This thread is titled"...Firmware Details" so I don't think it is unreasonable to ask if the version changes can listed. Dave in his earlier replies in this thread did in fact provide some detail on version update changes.

Dave2 seems to update the manual with the changes from version to version, so maybe Dave2 (Seppy) can help?
 

Offline newbrain

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Re: EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter Firmware Details
« Reply #124 on: November 21, 2018, 08:50:28 am »
I hope enthusiasm is still there :)
I hope improvements are still there  >:D
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